New Christmas Tradition Ideas for 2017

Christmas is such a special time of year. What's not to love? Spending time with your family and friends, creating unforgettable memories while cooking up a fantastic Christmas feast can really warm your heart. Giving that perfect Christmas present to one of your loved ones and seeing that bright smile on their face is part of what Christmas is all about. Most families have their own Christmas traditions, whether it be hanging a personalized Christmas ornament or watching Christmas movies with your loved ones, do what works for you and your family. Ornaments for Keeps invites you to try something new this year. Our personalized ornament company is here to give you some new Christmas tradition ideas to try for 2017.

Christmas Tradition Ideas to Try for 2017

Try a new Christmas dish.

Who wouldn't want to try a delicious new Christmas dish? There so many fun ideas you can incorporate into your food to bring a Christmas feel to the dish. Here's a recipe we found that your family may just love.

Source: CakesCottage

Candy Cane Oreo Truffles

Prep time: 25 mins
Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 30-34

Ingredients:

36 Oreos

8 oz cream cheese, softened

16 oz. white chocolate chips

¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, for decorating

Instructions

Place the Oreo cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Add the cream cheese and pulse until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop the mixture into balls about 1-inch in diameter. I like to use a cookie scoop.
Place the cookie balls in the freezer until well chilled, at least 1 hour.
Remove truffles from freezer and dip in melted chocolate.
Return to baking sheet, immediately sprinkle tops with crushed candy canes then allow chocolate to set.

Store the truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Create some new DIY Christmas decorations.

Add some pizzazz to your Christmas this year and make your very own unique Christmas decoration. This may even be an awesome activity you can do with your kids. Here's a fun Christmas decoration you could try to make:

Source: MasonJarCraftsLove

Start a new tradition with your children.

Creating a new tradition with your kids can make your Christmas all the more special. Here's a couple of ideas to try:


Allow your child to pick their very own personalized Christmas ornament.


Go to OrnamentsforKeeps.com and allow your child to pick their very own personalized Christmas ornament. Whether your child is a sports fan, into music, or just a HUGE fan of Santa, they can have an enjoyable experience picking out their very own personalized Christmas ornament with you.


Start the 25 books tradition.


Choose 25 books to wrap up and place under the tree. Then, starting 25 days before Christmas, let your child pick a new book from under the tree to unwrap and read with you or you can read to them. 

Make Your Own Christmas Tradition!

From our family to yours, we invite you to begin or continue your Christmas traditions and collection of personalized Christmas ornaments. Browse through our wonderful selection and find the ornament that captures you and your family's unforgettable memories the best. Visit OrnamentsforKeeps.com.

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How to Give the Perfect Christmas Gift!

Halloween is officially over and more and more people are starting to think about Christmas now. Christmas is literally only 2 months away and we could not be more excited! Now that Halloween is over and more people are starting to think about preparing for Christmas, have you thought about which Christmas gifts you will buy yet? Certain people can be very hard to buy for and you don't want to end up stressing out at the last minute trying to find the perfect gift or personalized Christmas ornament. Ornaments for Keeps is here to give you some tips for giving the best Christmas presents this year.

Tips for Christmas Gift Giving

Create a Christmas budget.

Think about who all you are going to buy for this year. Make a list. Then, budget enough money for what you think you will need to spend for each person.

Don't forget about these people!

While remembering to buy gifts for your family may be easy, there may be others in your life that you want to buy a gift for and you end up forgetting each year, such as your:

• Teacher
• Nursing home worker
• Assistant
• Boss
• Babysitter
• Client
• Daycare worker
• Coworker
• Doctor
• Housekeeper

If you plan to mail your gifts, plan ahead.

Give yourself plenty of time. You don't want your present to end up arriving a week late. Before you choose to ship a gift, check with your mail carrier to see if it will most likely arrive on time. 

If traveling with gifts, lighten your load. 

You can easily lighten your load, when traveling, by getting gift cards instead of large gifts. Some people prefer gift cards. Then, you don't have to worry about airport security taking a long time to go through your bulky packages or gifts.

Gift Wrapping Tips

Do not wait until the last minute.

Save yourself the stress and wrap your presents as you buy them rather than waiting to the last minute.

Don't forget about leftover Christmas wrapping paper from last year.

Keep your Christmas gift wrapping supplies organized, so you know where to find it each year.


"The greatest gifts are not wrapped in paper but in love." - Author Unknown

Need Help Finding the Perfect Christmas Gift?

Personalized Christmas ornaments make unique, creative and thoughtful gifts for family, kids, weddings, a new baby, good friends, a special hostess, a sports enthusiast, a Mizzou Tiger fan, or a snowman, angel or Santa ornament collector. Here at Ornaments for Keeps, we love to design and create bread dough ornaments. We also enjoy finding different types of personalized ornaments to offer you. We invite you to begin or continue your tradition and collection of personalized Christmas ornaments. Grab a cup of coffee, sit and browse our wonderful selection! Visit our website at OrnamentsforKeeps.com. If you happen to have any questions, you may call us at 573-680-7078. Good luck on your Christmas gift search!

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5 Cute Things You Can Do With Your Dogs for Christmas

Christmas is such a magical time of the year! The entire family should get together and spend this time together, INCLUDING your dogs. Our dogs are family too, right? Ornaments for Keeps is here to let you know there are many cute and fun things you can do with your pets around Christmas time. It's their Christmas too. Here are a few things you can do with your dogs around Christmas time.

5 Cute Things You Can Do With Your Dogs for Christmas

1. Wear your BEST Christmas pajamas and dress your dog in Christmas pajamas too. 

There is such a cute selection of Christmas themed pajamas out there, not only for you, but for your fur babies too. This could be you and your fur baby's new Christmas tradition. What a great memory to make!

2. Make homemade Christmas themed dog treats.

What dog wouldn't love some homemade dog treats around Christmas time? There are an abundance of recipes online you can try. Make your dog some homemade candy cane shaped dog treats this year. This smells like a new, fantastic Christmas tradition to us!

"The best of all Christmas gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hills

3. Show your dog some Christmas love and hang an ornament to represent them.

Ornaments for Keeps has a GREAT selection of personalized dog themed Christmas ornaments to choose from. Honor your dog this Christmas and commemorate the memory of getting to share Christmas with them.

4. Include your dog in your family Christmas card.

There are so many adorable Christmas cards out there where families included their fur babies in the photo. Try including your dog in the Christmas card. Dress them up in a cute dog Christmas sweater or drape some pretty garland around your dog. This can make for a Christmas card you will never forget!

5. Get your dog a present to "unwrap" at Christmas too.

Last but not least, your fur baby deserves a present to open to right? Whether it be a NEW dog toy or some new dog treats, include your dog in the excitement of opening presents at Christmas.

In Need of the Perfect Ornament to Represent Your Fur Baby on the Christmas Tree?

Ornaments for Keeps specializes in creating unique, personalized Christmas ornaments. No matter if your ornament is for a new baby, sporting event, special friend, or wedding, Christmas ornaments can become a very special keepsake. Each year as our family decorates our Christmas tree, the personalized family ornaments we hang bring smiles and reflection. When our children grew up and left home, we gave them their personalized ornaments to start their own family Christmas tree tradition! We invite you to begin or continue your tradition and collection of personalized Christmas ornaments. Grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, sit and browse our wonderful selection of personalized Christmas ornaments!

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Party Through the Holidays!

     The past several years, ever since the Ugly Sweater party was made popular, it seems like that's the theme of every holiday party I've attended. Don't get me wrong, this has made for some very fun nights but my creative mind started thinking there is so much about Christmas and everything to do with Christmas, surely there has to be something else...so here I go!
1. Pet Party
    Our pets have become part of the family. Why not have a party where they're invited too? Dress them up in their favorite Christmas outfit and have a parade with a contest at the end. Of course, you'll need pet friendly appetizers too:)
2. Charity Night
    Most of us are so blessed, why not give back a little at the holidays? With your invitation, send each guest a pick from the Angel tree. These can be found almost anywhere such as Church, stores and restaurants. Then, on the night of the party, have everyone bring their specially picked gifts for the family in need.

3. White Christmas
    I know this may be a little non-traditional considering most holiday wear revolves around red and green. But everyone dreams of a white Christmas so make it happen. Have all of your guests come dressed in white. Make it a chili night and do a white chicken chili and white cocktails like the White Lady. I could go on and on about all the ideas, this one would be really fun!
4. Ornament Making Party
    This one is right up our alley! Get a whole bunch of the clear ball ornaments found in any hobby store. Lay out paints, glitter, beads and glue and let your guests go to town! Not only will this be a blast but everyone can take home a memory of the night.
5. Elfin' Around
    Just like it sounds, this party will be all about the little guys that work at the North Pole. It would be great if you could get everyone to dress up, but if not, maybe just the host and hostess could be Santa's little helpers. Use elf themed décor and mini appetizers. I'd say mini cocktails but...nah:)

So I hope this helps give you some creative inspiration on getting out the rut of the same ole, same ole. Follow us for more great holiday ideas to come!

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Gifting Outside the Box

     Weddings happen all year long but it seems as though June is the busiest. If you think about it, buying a wedding gift is quite the honor. It means you’ve been specially chosen to share in one of the most important days in a couples’ life.  The marriage will hopefully last a lifetime and you want a special gift that will let them remember it forever, however, coming up with that gift can be a challenge.

The gift registries that are so popular can be a wonderful thing because then you know exactly what is asked for, but if you’re like me, a water purifier or a set of kitchen utensils isn’t exactly how I want to say “congratulations on beginning your life together.” I like to show the couple that I have put extra thought and care into their gift.  A monogrammed item, like a serving platter, is always a hit. Wall décor with a bible verse is my personal favorite or you can have a present hand tailored with their last name and established date. 

    The list is endless but I’m sure whatever you choose will stay in the hearts of the couple forever.  And of course, what would a gift be without being accompanied by a personalized ornament from Ornaments for Keeps? Weather you decide to give a card with the ornament attached to the envelope or hand tied to the package, your gift will show uniqueness with its personalized  touch  and will definitely stand out above the other packages on the gift table(which is what I strive for…presentation first:).  

The Vintage Wedding Car is not only our most popular wedding ornament but our most popular ornament sold.   
    Each year they will be able to bring their own ornament out to proudly display and to remember “their day.”  We have a wide selection so browse through and pick the perfect one from your heart to theirs!  Just to make this even more fun, use code LOVE10 for 10% off your order today through June 12^th.


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Ornaments for Every Occasion!

Your life is a beautiful story. The twists and turns, the trials and triumphs, the smiles and the tears... They all work together to weave a story of your life. The older we get, the more we recognize the beauty and the power of our stories, and the more we cherish the things that remind of us specific moments in our lives. 

Those of us at Ornaments for Keeps have dedicated our careers to developing personalized Christmas ornaments because we recognize the uniquely wonderful way that certain objects help to tell our story. Through our custom Christmas ornaments, our customers can see their unique stories displayed on their Christmas trees every holiday season.

Peoples' lives can follow many different paths and interests, so we have developed a wide range of different ornament themes and styles. You can find the full category list at the Ornaments for Keeps website, but here's a quick overview of some of our most popular themes.

Personalized Family Ornaments
Most of us value family above all else - especially during the holiday season! Our personalized family ornaments are our best-selling ornaments. We offer more than twenty-four different styles, so our customers can choose the style that best fits their family's personality. Don't forget that you can add a pet dish to most ornaments so your family's four-legged members can be represented as well!

Personalized Baby Ornaments
Just as weddings and anniversaries are major milestones along the path of life, having a baby is a special event that will change your life in more ways than you can possibly imagine. We offer eleven different ornament styles to choose from in pinks, reds, blues, and some greens. These precious ornaments are a wonderful way to commemorate baby's first Christmas.

Personalized Wedding/Anniversary Ornaments
Do you hear wedding bells ringing? Weddings and anniversaries are huge milestones in anyone's life; your life story will not be complete without representing those special days! We offer a wide variety of wedding, anniversary, and even engagement ornaments. These ornaments will serve as an adorable symbol of love and happiness hanging from your tree.

Ornaments For Everything In Between
Ornaments for Keeps offers customized Christmas ornaments to celebrate these major milestones, but we also offer ornaments that will commemorate everything in between. Are you a sports fanatic? A college graduate? An animal lover? A traveler? A swimmer? No matter what your fancies are, we have personalized Christmas ornaments that fit your lifestyle.

We would be honored to help you tell your story. Check out our website to get started today!

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Celebrate the Graduate with a Personalized Ornament

The month of May can mean so much for so many. The little tike that has graduated pre-school into Kindergarten launching their school career. How cute they are at that age! The high schooler that has finished their journey of growth into adulthood and then there are the college graduates that now get to begin their life in the direction their dreams have lead. There were the early mornings, all the homework, the late nights at the library, the plays and awards ceremonies, and all of the other traditions leading to the academic graduation. What a whirlwind it has been! That special person in your life deserves something personal to commemorate this great occasion.

I still have my graduation ornament from 1998 that I bring out every year to treasure on my Christmas tree. It reminds me of all the hard work and dedication it took to earn that diploma.

We have many options to choose from for your graduate...



Do you have a specific school or year you would like your ornament to be customized to?

It’s a gift to be cherished forever!

 

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CONTACT US

                                                             Phone: (573) 893-3272

                                                             www.ornamentsforkeeps.com







Personalize Your Family's Elf on the Shelf

The Christmas season is in full swing and we have a question for you...Is your Elf on the Shelf? 

This is a tradition for many families world wide! Stemming from the popular 2005 book, The Elf on the Shelf watches and listens all day to what the kiddos are doing and saying.... Then at night he travels back to the North Pole to report to Santa.  Each morning, the Elf will return to the home in a different location throughout the home waiting to be discovered by the kids. 

Like most traditions, you want to personalize them. What better way to personalize this fun Christmas tradition than with a morning delivery of personalized elf ornaments on your tree?   The Elf on the Shelf could be perched on your tree with a sign to look for the new ornaments that he has delivered to them!!  Or you could simply have them near the Elf on the Shelf and allow your children to put them on the tree.   Check out all my personalized Elf ornaments!!

This is just one idea for you to share with your loved ones. Traditions can be created so easily but can be cherished for a lifetime! 

Happy crafting and I hope these ideas help!  Since my first craft show in 1981, customers here at home and from around the United States continue to add to their collections and to buy these personalized gifts for family and friends.

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Phone: (573) 893-3272
info@ornamentsforkeeps.com

Personalized Family Ornament Options

Personalized family Christmas ornaments are a great way to chronicle your family year by year as it changes.  You can start the tradition anytime because it's never too late.  

But you might want to start it sooner than later! You can look back over the years and fond memories will be sparked. You will see there are various options when it comes to customized family ornaments.  In addition to styles a number of different themes exist.  

Whether your preference is a specific Christmas character or a sports theme we cover the gamete.  As family members are added over the years, you can adjust your ornament to accommodate it so they are included. 

These also make great gifts.  Whether it is for a friend or family member this customized gift shows you were thinking of them in a special way.  You can also begin a collection for each family member as the years progress so they have the same mementos for their trees.  

I hope these ideas help!  Since my first craft show in 1981, customers here at home and from around the United States continue to add to their collections and to buy these personalized gifts for family and friends.

Connect with us for the latest inspired, 
creative ideas! 

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CONTACT US

Phone: (573) 893-3272
info@ornamentsforkeeps.com